Chair

ABSTRACT

A chair includes: a frame unit including a pair of spaced-apart leg members, and a pair of side support members that are disposed respectively on the leg members; and a seat unit including a pair of first linking members that are connected respectively to the side support members, and a seat member that interconnects the first linking members. The seat member has opposite coupling end portions. Each of the first linking members has a coupling portion thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions of the seat member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a chair.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional chair includes a frame unit 4 and aseat unit 5 disposed on the frame unit 4. The frame unit 4 includes apair of leg members spaced apart from each other in a left-rightdirection, a pair of seat frames 42 disposed respectively on the legmembers 41, and a pair of backrest frames 43 connected respectively torear ends of the seat frames 42. The seat unit 5 has a seat portion 50interposed between the seat frames 42, and a backrest portion 51interposed between the backrest frames 43. Each of the seat portion 50and the backrest portion 51 has left and right end sections formedrespectively with engaging hole units arranged along a directionperpendicular to the left-right direction. Each of the seat frames 42has a seat support portion 420, and a zigzag engaging member 421disposed on the seat support portion 420 and interposed between the seatsupport portion 420 and the seat portion 50. Each of the backrest frames43 has a backrest support portion 430, and a zigzag engaging member 431disposed on the backrest support portion 430 and interposed between thebackrest support portion 430 and the backrest portion 51. Theconventional chair further includes four strings 52, each of which isdisposed to tie a corresponding one of the zigzag engaging members 421,431 to a corresponding one of the seat and backrest portions 50, 51,more particularly to the engaging hole unit of the corresponding one ofthe seat and backrest portions 50, 51.

However, the zigzag engaging members 421, 431, the seat support portions420, and the backrest support portions 430 are made as separatecomponents and assembled through welding. Moreover, tying of the seatportion 50 to the zigzag engaging members 421 and tying of the backrestportion 51 to the zigzag engaging members 431 must be manuallyperformed, which may be time- and labor-consuming. Furthermore, thestrings 52 may snap after long-term use, which may cause injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a chairthat is relatively safe and easy to assemble.

Accordingly, a chair of the present invention comprises:

a frame unit including

-   -   a pair of leg members that are spaced apart from each other in a        left-right direction, and    -   a pair of side support members that are disposed respectively on        the leg members; and

a seat unit including

-   -   a pair of first linking members that are connected respectively        to the side support members, and    -   a seat member that interconnects the first linking members.

The seat member has opposite coupling end portions in the left-rightdirection. Each of the first linking members has a coupling portionthermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions of theseat member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional chair;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of achair according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a seat unit and two side support membersof the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a backrest unit and two backrest supportmembers of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the side support members, theseat unit, and first and second restricting members of the preferredembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a chair according to thepresent invention comprises a frame unit 1, a seat unit 2 and a backrestunit 3.

The frame unit 1 includes a pair of leg members 10 that are spaced apartfrom each other in a left-right direction. Each of the leg members 10has a front leg rod 101 and a rear leg rod 102. The front leg rod 101has a top end connected pivotally to that of the rear leg rod 102. Theframe unit 1 further includes a pair of side support members 11 and apair of backrest support members 12. Each of the side support members 11is configured as a rod connected to a respective one of the front legs101. Each of the backrest support members 12 is configured as a rodconnected pivotally to a respective one of the rear legs 102.

The seat unit 2 includes a pair of first linking members 21 that areconnected respectively to the side support members 11, and a seat member22 that interconnects the first linking members 21.

Referring to FIG. 3, the seat member 22 of the seat unit 2 has couplingend portions 221 disposed opposite to each other in the left-rightdirection. Each of the side support members 11 is formed with a firstgroove 111 extending in a front-rear direction perpendicular to theleft-right direction, and having an open front end and a blind rear end.Each of the first linking members 21 has a coupling portion 211thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions 221 ofthe seat member 22, a first engaging portion 212 engaging removably thefirst groove 111 of a corresponding one of the side support members 11,and an elastic portion 213 integrally interconnecting the couplingportion 211 and the first engaging portion 212.

Further referring to FIG. 4, the backrest unit 3 has a configurationsimilar to that of the seat unit 2, and includes a pair of secondlinking members 31 that are connected respectively to the backrestsupport members 12, and a backrest member 32 that interconnects thesecond linking members 31.

The backrest member 32 of the back unit 3 has coupling end portions 321opposite to each other in the left-right direction, and each of thebackrest support members 12 is formed with a longitudinally-extendingsecond groove 121. Each of the second linking members 31 has a couplingportion 311 thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling endportions 321 of the seat member 32, a second engaging portion 312engaging removably the second groove 121 of a corresponding one of thebackrest support members 12, and an elastic portion 313 integrallyinterconnecting the coupling portion 311 and the engaging portion 312.

In this embodiment, each of elastic portions 213, 313 is formed to becorrugated and is configured to have a relatively high toughness.However, implementation of the elastic portions 213, 313 is not limitedto such.

Referring back to FIG. 2, and further referring to FIG. 5, the frameunit 1 further includes two restricting members 13. During assembly ofthe chair of the preferred embodiment, after the coupling portions 211of the first linking members 21 are thermally bonded with the seatmember 22, the first engaging portion 212 of each of the first linkingmembers 21 is inserted entirely into the first groove 111 of thecorresponding one of the side support members 11 via the open front endof the first groove 111, thereby engaging the seat unit 2 with the sidesupport members 11. Next, each of the restricting members 13 is coupledto a respective one of the side support members 11 at the front open endfor blocking the first groove 111 of the corresponding one of the sidesupport members 11 for restricting sliding movement of the firstengaging portions 212 along the first grooves 111. Since the backrestsupport members 12 and the backrest unit 3 has an assembly relationshipbackrest support member substantially identical to that of the seat unitand the side support members 11, as described hereinabove, the assemblyrelationship of the backrest support members 12 and the backrest unit 3will not be described hereinafter for the sake of brevity.

In summary, assembly of the chair of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is less time- and labor-consuming compared to theprior art. Furthermore, the structures of the side and backrest supportmembers 11, 12 are relatively simple, and may be formed throughextrusion without need for further welding. Moreover, since the thermalbonding between the coupling portions 211 and the seat member 22provides a relatively strong structural strength between the same, andthe elastic portions 213, 313 of the first and second linking members21, 31 have high toughness, the chair of this invention is rather saferfor use.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chair comprising: a frame unit including a pairof leg members that are spaced apart from each other in a left-rightdirection, and a pair of side support members that are disposedrespectively on said leg members; and a seat unit including a pair offirst linking members that are connected respectively to said sidesupport members, and a seat member that interconnects said first linkingmembers, and that has opposite coupling end portions in the left-rightdirection, each of said first linking members having a coupling portionthat is thermally bonded to a respective one of said coupling endportions of said seat member.
 2. The chair as claimed in claim 1,wherein each of said side support members is formed with a first groove,each of said first linking members further having a first engagingportion that engages removably said first groove of a corresponding oneof said side support members.
 3. The chair as claimed in claim 2,wherein each of said first linking members further has an elasticportion interconnecting integrally said first engaging portion and saidcoupling portion thereof.
 4. The chair as claimed in claim 3, wherein:said frame unit further includes a pair of backrest support membersdisposed respectively on said leg members adjacent to a rear portion ofsaid seat unit; said chair further comprising a backrest unit having apair of second linking members that are connected respectively to saidbackrest support members, and a backrest member that interconnects saidsecond linking members and that has opposite coupling end portions inthe left-right direction, each of said second linking members having acoupling portion that is thermally bonded to a respective one of saidcoupling end portions of said backrest member.
 5. The chair as claimedin claim 4, wherein each of said backrest support members is formed witha second groove, each of said second linking members further having asecond engaging portion that engages removably said second groove of acorresponding one of said backrest support members.
 6. The chair asclaimed in claim 5, wherein each of said second linking members furtherhas an elastic portion interconnecting integrally said second engagingportion and said coupling portion thereof.
 7. The chair as claimed inclaim 2, wherein: each of said side support members is configured as arod; said first groove of each of said side support members extendslongitudinally in a corresponding one of said side support members; saidfirst engaging portion of each of said first linking members engagesremovably and slidably in said first groove of the corresponding one ofsaid side support members; and said chair further comprising a pair offirst restricting members, each of which is coupled to a respective oneof said side support members and blocks said first groove of thecorresponding one of said side support members for restricting slidemovement of said first engaging portion of a corresponding one of saidfirst linking members along the first groove of the corresponding one ofsaid side support members.